Search results for ""magma""

How do volcanoes erupt, what makes earthquakes so destructive, and why do tsunamis happen?Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunamis answers these questions and more, giving you everything you need to know about these powerful natural phenomena. It covers the plate tectonic background to Earth processes, where magma is made and how it erupts, volcano types, eruption hazards and how they are monitored, faults and earthquakes, the causes of tsunamis and tsunami preparedness. You will examine many examples of these frightening events, find out to what extent they can be predicted and mitigated against, and come to realize how they are related and the impact they have on human society and the natural world.Written by Dr David Rothery, a volcanologist, geologist, planetary scientist and Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the Open University, Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunamis: A Complete Introduction is designed to give you everything you need to know, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear English and providing added-value features like a glossary of essential terms and even examples of questions you might be asked in your seminar or exam.The book covers the essentials of most university courses, with an introduction on how the Earth moves, followed by separate sections on volcanoes (including eruptions, types of volcano, volcanic hazards, volcanoes and climate, monitoring volcanoes, predicting eruptions and living with volcanoes), earthquakes (including faults, measurement, seismic monitoring, prediction, prevention and preparedness) and tsunamis.The colour plates referred to in the book can be downloaded from the Teach Yourself online library or accessed through the Teach Yourself Library app.

Read more less

The summer of 1871, a team of thirty-two men set out on the first scientific expedition across Yellowstone. Through uncharted territory, some of the day’s most renowned scientists and artists explored, sampled, sketched, and photographed the region’s breathtaking wonders—from its white-capped mountain vistas and thundering falls to its burping mud pots and cauldrons of molten magma. At the end of their adventure, the survey packed up their specimens and boarded trains headed east, determined to convince Congress that the country needed to preserve the land from commercial development. They returned with “stories of wonder hardly short of fairy tales,” to quote the New York Times.With the support of conservationists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Law Olmsted, and John Muir, the importance of a national park was secured. On March 1, 1872, Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone Park Bill into law. It set aside over two million acres of one-of-a-kind wilderness as “a great national park for the benefit and enjoyment of people.” This important and fascinating book will introduce young adults to the astonishing adventure that led to “the best idea America ever had.” Today over 130 countries have copied the Yellowstone model, and billions of acres of critical habitat and spectacular scenery are being preserved for all of us to enjoy.This book has a wonderful ecological and historical message for readers ages 12 and up. No book about Yellowstone's founding has been written for this age group before, yet Yellowstone National Park is a major destination for many families, so many readers will likely have heard of Yellowstone or even have visited there. This is a great book for any school library or for history or science classrooms in middle and high school, where information can be used for research projects.

Read more less

A guided journey through the inner workings of Earth, the cloaked mysteries of other planets in our solar system, and beyond.Extreme heat. Extreme cold. Extreme pressure. Toxic gases. Scorching magma flows, and ice volcanoes. Interior tides. Asteroids filled with gold. In What's Hidden Inside Planets? planetary scientist Dr. Sabine Stanley cracks the surface to reveal the beating heart of planets and what created them—from the building blocks of swirling cosmic dust, pebbles, and gas to coalesced planetesimal beginnings to the worlds we see today. We're only beginning to explore the secretive interiors of planets, where awe-inspiring wonders await. Our home planet is no exception. Earth, from space, looks like a shimmering gem suspended in an inky, infinite expanse. But this serene image masks the magnificent and volatile interior forces that make life possible for millions of species on the surface. The placid appearances of our neighboring planets similarly belie their powers—and science fiction-worthy features, like diamond rain. The daily machinations of Earth's deep interior make the planet a habitable, yet sometimes treacherous, place to live. Drill down thousands of miles through our built environments and soil, sand, water, rock, and minerals to the outer (mainly liquid iron with nickel) and inner core, encountering intense convection, roiling metals, hidden continents, and shifting tectonic plates. Discover the effects of magnetism, rotation, and seismic activity seen and sensed in the forms of auroras, hurricanes, volcanoes, and earthquakes, among other manifestations. Our neighboring planets boast their own fierce forces, along with moons covered by frozen oceans that might someday reveal extraterrestrial life. Join this exciting journey to far-flung interstellar locations and the center of the Earth to learn what lies beneath our feet, and why it's the best real estate in our solar system.

Read more less

Since the advent of the mantle plume hypothesis in 1971, scientists have been faced with the problem that its predictions are not confirmed by observation. For thirty years, the usual reaction has been to adapt the hypothesis in numerous ways. As a result, the multitude of current plume variants now amounts to an unfalsifiable hypothesis. In the early 21st century demand became relentless for a theory that can explain melting anomalies in a way that fits the observations naturally and is forward-predictive. From this the Plate hypothesis emerged–the exact inverse of the Plume hypothesis. The Plate hypothesis attributes melting anomalies to shallow effects directly related to plate tectonics. It rejects the hypothesis that surface volcanism is driven by convection in the deep mantle. Earth Science is currently in the midst of the kind of paradigm-challenging debate that occurs only rarely in any field. This volume comprises its first handbook. It reviews the Plate and Plume hypotheses, including a clear statement of the former. Thereafter it follows an observational approach, drawing widely from many volcanic regions in chapters on vertical motions of Earth's crust, magma volumes, time-progressions of volcanism, seismic imaging, mantle temperature and geochemistry. This text: Deals with a paradigm shift in Earth Science - some say the most important since plate tectonics Is analogous to Wegener's The Origin of Continents and Oceans Is written to be accessible to scientists and students from all specialities This book is indispensable to Earth scientists from all specialties who are interested in this new subject. It is suitable as a reference work for those teaching relevant classes, and an ideal text for advanced undergraduates and graduate students studying plate tectonics and related topics. Visit Gillian's own website at http://www.mantleplumes.org

Read more less

A valuable synthesis of the physics of magmatism for students and scholarsMagma genesis and segregation have shaped Earth since its formation more than 4.5 billion years ago. Now, for the first time, the mathematical theory describing the physics of magmatism is presented in a single volume. The Dynamics of Partially Molten Rock offers a detailed overview that emphasizes the fundamental physical insights gained through an analysis of simplified problems. This textbook brings together such topics as fluid dynamics, rock mechanics, thermodynamics and petrology, geochemical transport, plate tectonics, and numerical modeling. End-of-chapter exercises and solutions as well as online Python notebooks provide material for courses at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level.This book focuses on the partial melting of Earth’s asthenosphere, but the theory presented is also more broadly relevant to natural systems where partial melting occurs, including ice sheets and the deep crust, mantle, and core of Earth and other planetary bodies, as well as to rock-deformation experiments conducted in the laboratory. For students and researchers aiming to understand and advance the cutting edge, the work serves as an entrée into the field and a convenient means to access the research literature. Notes in each chapter reference both classic papers that shaped the field and newer ones that point the way forward.The Dynamics of Partially Molten Rock requires a working knowledge of fluid mechanics and calculus, and for some chapters, readers will benefit from prior exposure to thermodynamics and igneous petrology. The first book to bring together in a unified way the theory for partially molten rocks End-of-chapter exercises with solutions and an online supplement of Jupyter notebooks Coverage of the mechanics, thermodynamics, and chemistry of magmatism, and their coupling in the context of plate tectonics and mantle convection Notes at the end of each chapter highlight key papers for further reading

Read more less

Theories and opinions about climate change abound – from those claiming human-induced climate change is already beyond control to those who express scepticism about the real extent of these changes. How should we weigh up the scientific evidence, and what role does climate change play in the history of the Earth? In this comprehensive history of the climate and climate change, Antonello Provenzale explains how the planetary climate system works and how the climate has evolved over millions of years. Starting from the catastrophic events that marked the early history of the Earth, including seas of magma, global glaciations and mass extinctions, he demonstrates how the climate has fluctuated between hot and cold periods, with the Earth hot and lush with forests at certain times and almost entirely covered by a thick layer of ice at others. The mechanisms that determine the modifications of the climate are multiple and complex and include external factors, such as solar luminosity and variations in the Earth's orbit, as well as internal processes connecting the atmosphere, the oceans, the crust, the mantle and the biosphere, composed of living organisms. While the climate has fluctuated a great deal over the Earth’s long history, there are two features of our current situation that are a source of real concern. First, the rise in temperature of the last fifty years has been extremely fast, making it difficult for the environment to adapt to the new conditions. Second, the human population is much greater than it was in the past, and this population needs water, food, energy and shelter to survive and flourish. If temperatures continue to rise as they have in recent decades, ours will not be an easy world in which to live. To appreciate what is at stake, we need to understand how the climate works and how human activity is affecting it – not in order to save the planet, which will do just fine on its own and probably better without us, but to save ourselves.

Read more less

For boys and girls who love Minecraft, a graphic novel adventure that uses over 700 images to transport young readers into the world of the game they love most.Before they can graduate, they must face their greatest challenge! It’s the last semester at Redstone Junior High and Pixel, Sky, and Uma are about to enter into their most exciting adventure yet. The students must complete a bold and dangerous challenge by graduation: travel to the End and ride the notorious Ender dragon. Their first step is to gather the valuable items needed to complete this quest, but a treacherous storm is brewing and nothing is going according to plan.What begins as a simple trade with a villager leads to an accidental explosion, and the students and Mr. Z are cast out of a remote village into the raging storm. The kids survive the night in a cave only to discover that their beloved teacher Mr. Z, has gone missing. Pixel, Sky, and Uma will use every trick in the book to find him, but they risk revealing his deep secret in the process.It will take precious resources, courage, and teamwork to complete their quest in time for graduation, but not everyone is working well together. An old nemesis has joined the class, so Pixel and Uma are watching their backs every step of the way. Tensions are high between even the best of friends as old enemies become friends and old friends become rivals. A journey to the Nether fortress tests their bonds as together they battle blazes, magma cubes, ghasts, and zombie pigmen to get the blaze rods they need. Sky finds himself in need of rescue with no plan for escape. Can Pixel and her friends find Sky, secure the blaze rods, and make it back home in time to build a portal, or will they fail their final project and be trapped in the Nether forever?The students must find a way to band together to make their final days at Redstone Junior High memorable and triumphant.

Read more less

This guide is a starting point for exploring the geology of the Pennines between the southern Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale in the north and the southern part of the Derbyshire Peak District in the south. The book concentrates on the main Pennine range, but also takes in higher ground to the west, including Rossendale, the Forest of Bowland and the Staffordshire Moorlands. While the guide is aimed primarily at undergraduate level, it is written and illustrated to also appeal to visitors to the area. The greater part of the guide deals with sedimentary rocks of Carboniferous age (360-300 Ma). It discusses the changing tectonic regime and its influence on the development of sedimentary basins and their sedimentation. It describes the depositional environments, the subsequent tectonic deformation of the sediments and the controls on present-day outcrop patterns. The older visible geology consists mostly of limestones, deposited in a tropical setting during the Dinantian (360-330 Ma) on shallow-water carbonate platforms, on ramps and in deeper settings. Mound-shaped reef-like structures, that occur in many limestone areas, consist mostly of carbonate mudstone and formed under the influence of micro-organisms. On the Derbyshire Platform, carbonate deposition was disrupted by basaltic magma around several volcanic centres. Limestone deposition was followed by accumulation of a complex series of sandstones and mudstones comprising the Millstone Grit, deposited throughout the Namurian (330-318 Ma), when the Dinantian sea-floor topography was eliminated by the advance of large deltas, creating a vast plain across which Westphalian (318-308 Ma) Coal Measures were deposited. Introductory chapters explain the tectonic, stratigraphic and sedimentological factors that governed deposition, later deformation and mineralisation. The interaction of fluctuating sea-level in response to southern hemisphere glaciation and ongoing tectonic activity are emphasised. The field guide proper is in six chapters, each devoted to a particular area, where individual localities are described and illustrated. While some itineraries are suggested, the format allows users to plan trips to match their interests. An extensive glossary should help non-geologists with technical terms.

Read more less

Ana Blandiana is one of Romania's foremost poets, a leading dissident before for the fall of Communism, and now her country's strongest candidate for the Nobel Prize. A prominent opponent of the Ceausescu regime, Blandiana became known for her daring, outspoken poems as well as for her courageous defence of ethical values. She was co-founder and President of the Civic Alliance from 1990, an independent non-political organisation that fought for freedom and democratic change, and more recently co-founded the Memorial for the Victims of Communism. Blandiana redefines her poetics in every new book of poetry she publishes. In My Native Land A4 she recreates a land of words, water, trees, cities with abandoned churches, fallen angels that cannot find their way back to heaven, and gods that learn to roller-skate to try to reach the young who remain oblivious of their existence. She projects visionary spaces within the confines of a page - the A4 sheet of her title - which emerge out of her imagination as anguished territories in which the lyrical 'I' is compelled to draw precise, clear boundaries out of a diffuse magma of words. The poems articulate a quest for love, beauty and truth and affirm an urgent need for existential authenticity as a requisite for the redemption of the self, chronicling the struggle between a constantly deteriorating body that is learning how to die and the spirit that strives to overcome its physical constraints. My Native Land A4 contains meditations on fundamental themes such as the fragility and vulnerability of being, the inexorable toll of time, the limitations of the human condition and the correspondence between life and death within the cosmic rhythms of the universe. The print edition of My Native Land A4 only includes the English translations. The e-book with audio is a bilingual Romanian-English edition with most of the poems read in Romanian by Ana Blandiana.

Read more less

Volcanologists venture to treacherous volcanoes the world over in the pursuit of their science. They work around craters of boiling magma and amidst smoke, flames, scorched rocks, and clouds of noxious gases--balancing personal risk against advancing knowledge about one of nature's most dangerous and unpredictable forces. Richard Fisher, a world-renowned volcanologist, has had more than forty years of experience in the field. In this book, he blends autobiography with clear, accessible science to introduce readers to the basics of volcanology and to the wonders of volcanoes that he has studied and learned to both fear and admire. In the course of the book, we follow Fisher as he descends into the steaming crater of the Soufri re Volcano on the island of St. Vincent, as he conducts research on lava flows on the desolate south shore of the Island of Hawaii, and as he struggles to understand the explosion at Mount St. Helens. We learn about his pioneering work on pyroclastic flows and surges--the hurricanes of gases, molten lava, and volcanic debris that cause most of the death and destruction when volcanoes explode. He tells of solving a historic scientific problem at Mount Pelee, Martinique, where 29,000 people were killed in a pyroclastic flow in 1902. Fisher also offers a volcanologist's view of the explosion of Mount Vesuvius that devastated Pompeii and Herculaneum. He writes about the cultural rewards and challenges of conducting research in isolated areas of such countries as Argentina, Mexico, and China. And he discusses the early influences that steered him toward volcanology--including his army experiences as a witness to two atom-bomb explosions at Bikini atoll. Out of the Crater is written in an inviting, nontechnical style. With its deft combination of personal stories and scientific information, it is an inspiring account of a remarkable life and a compelling examination of some of the most spectacular forces shaping the face of the Earth.

Read more less

Volcanoes are capable of acts of pyrotechnical prowess verging on magic: they spout black magma more fluid than water, create shimmering cities of glass at the bottom of the ocean and frozen lakes of lava on the moon and can even tip entire planets over. Between lava that melts and re-forms the landscape, and noxious volcanic gases that poison the atmosphere, volcanoes have threatened life on Earth countless times in our planet’s history. Yet despite their reputation for destruction, volcanoes are inseparable from the creation of our planet. A lively and utterly fascinating guide to these geologic wonders, Super Volcanoes revels in the incomparable power of volcanic eruptions past and present, Earthbound and otherwise—and recounts the daring and sometimes death-defying careers of the scientists who study them. Science journalist and volcanologist Robin George Andrews explores how these eruptions reveal secrets about the worlds to which they belong, describing the stunning ways in which volcanoes can sculpt the sea, land and sky, and even influence the machinery that makes or breaks the existence of life. Walking us through the mechanics of some of the most infamous eruptions on Earth, Andrews outlines what we know about how volcanoes form, erupt and evolve, as well as what scientists are still trying to puzzle out. How can we better predict when a deadly eruption will occur—and protect communities in the danger zone? Is Earth’s system of plate tectonics, unique in the solar system, the best way to forge a planet that supports life? And if life can survive and even thrive in Earth’s extreme volcanic environments—superhot, super acidic and super saline surroundings previously thought to be completely inhospitable—where else in the universe might we find it? Traveling from Hawai‘i, Yellowstone, Tanzania and the ocean floor to the moon, Venus and Mars, Andrews illuminates the cutting-edge discoveries and lingering scientific mysteries surrounding these phenomenal forces of nature.

Read more less

Become an eyewitness to the Earth’s most explosive volcanoes and learn what it’s like to experience an earthquake feels like in this picture-led guide to the hotspots of the world.This book tells you everything you need to know about the Earth’s most extraordinary natural forces – from active volcanoes, including Kilauea in Hawaii and Mount Etna in Italy, to devastating earthquakes that have hit San Francisco and Japan. Discover how the eruption of Mount Vesuvius devastated the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum but left in its wake remarkably preserved treasures.Eyewitness Volcano and Earthquake explores how tectonic plates collide, what causes magma to escape from deep inside Earth and why eruptions affect our weather. Learn how scientists predict and measure the magnitude of earthquakes, and find out what a volcanologist does. Loved and trusted for over 30 years, Eyewitness has a new look and even more content:• A bite-sized formula of text with images that kids love!• Fully revised and fact-checked by subject specialists• Packed with facts, infographics, statistics, and timelines• Updated with brand new eyewitness accounts from experts in the fieldEyewitness Volcano & Earthquake uses a groundbreaking visual layout that makes learning fun for kids aged 9-12. Packed with striking full-color photographs and illustrations of lava flows, pyroclastic clouds, rocks, and precious stones, preserved bodies and petrified objects, and much more along with amazing facts, infographics, statistics, and a timeline to reveal the most devastating volcanoes and earthquakes in history.Eyewitness content approved by -ologists!DK’s Eyewitness kids books are updated and fact-checked by subject specialists, with brand new first-hand eyewitness accounts throughout from experts in the field. A best-selling series known and trusted for generations, with a fresh new look and up-to-date content. What will you Eyewitness next?Join the journey to combat climate change with Eyewitness Climate Change or discover more about the world’s most extreme weather phenomena with Eyewitness Hurricane & Tornado. Do you think you’ve found your topic of interest? DK has even more volcano books for kids and adults alike find them all by searching for “DK natural disasters books”.

Read more less

Uncover the Earth's inner secrets as you explore the world's most magnificent volcanoes and earthquakes like never before. Become an eyewitness to the world's most explosive volcanoes and powerful earthquakes with this picture-led guide that will take you on a visual tour of the hotspots of the world. Explore everything you need to know about the Earth's most extraordinary natural forces - from active volcanoes, including Kilanea in Hawaii and Etna in Italy, to devastating earthquakes that have hit San Francisco and Japan. Discover how the eruption of Mount Vesuvius devastated the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, but left in its wake remarkably preserved treasures.Throughout the pages of this newly- revised incredible history book, you can expect to find: -All information updated by expert consultants-Packed with amazing facts, infographics, statistics, and timelines-Includes brand new eyewitness accounts from experts in the fieldEyewitness Volcano and Earthquake explores how tectonic plates collide, what causes magma to escape from deep inside Earth and why eruptions affect our weather. Learn how scientists predict and measure the magnitude of earthquakes, and find out what a volcanologist does!Packed with striking full-colour photographs and illustrations of lava flows, pyroclastic clouds, rocksand precious stones, preserved bodies and petrified objects, and much more along with amazing facts, infographics, statistics, and a timeline to reveal the most devastating volcanoes and earthquakes in history.From tectonic plates, to liquid lava, this all-encompassing geography book is a must-have volume for curious children aged 9+ with a thirst for knowledge and learning, alongside teachers, parents and librarians.So, what's new? Part of DK's best-selling Eyewitness series, this popular title has been reinvigorated for the next generation of information-seekers and stay-at-home explorers, with a fresh new look, up to 20 per cent new images, including photography and updated diagrams, updated information, and a new "eyewitness" feature with fascinating first-hand accounts from experts in the field.Explore the series!Globally, the Eyewitness series has sold more than 50 million copies over 30 years. Join the journey to combat climate change with Eyewitness Climate Change or take a trip aboard the most famous ship in history with Eyewitness Titanic.

Read more less

***Thrillers that race from the very first page***'Felix Francis' novels gallop along splendidly' Jilly Cooper ‘From winning post to top of the bestseller lists’ Sunday TimesHarrison Foster is a lawyer by training but works as a crisis manager for a London firm that specializes in such matters. Summoned to Newmarket after a fire in the Chadwick Stables slaughters six very valuable horses, including the short-priced favourite for the Derby, Harry (as he is known) finds there is far more to the ‘simple’ fire than initially meets the eye. For a start, human remains are found amongst the equestrian ones in the burnt-out shell. All the stable staff are accounted for, so who is the mystery victim? Harry knows very little about horses, indeed he positively dislikes them, but he is thrust unwillingly into the world of Thoroughbred racing where the standard of care of the equine stars is far higher than that of the humans who attend to them. The Chadwick family are a dysfunctional racing dynasty, with the emphasis being on the nasty. Resentment between the generations is rife and sibling rivalry bubbles away like volcanic magma beneath a thin crust of respectability. Harry represents the Middle-Eastern owner of the Derby favourite and, as he delves deeper into the unanswered questions surrounding the horse’s demise, he ignites a fuse that blows the volcano sky-high, putting him in grave jeopardy. Can Harry solve the riddle before he is overcome by the toxic emissions from the eruption and is bumped off by the fallout?‘As usual with a Francis, once I opened the book, I didn’t want to put it down… Felix’s resolution is darker and more shocking than his father would ever have contemplated, but reflects grittier times and changing tastes in fiction. Now, what am I going to do for the next 12 months until the next one?’ Country Life ‘The latest annual offered from Felix Francis shows he has largely escaped from the shadow of his late father… He has become his own man as a purveyor of murder mysteries' The Racing PostPraise for Felix Francis's novels: 'The Francis flair is clear for all to see' Daily Mail 'From winning post to top of the bestseller list, time after time' Sunday Times 'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country Life 'A tremendous read' Woman's Own

Read more less

On June 6, 1912, among the Katmai volcanoes and its resident native people, an unforgettable natural event occurred: the largest volcanic eruption on Earth during the twentieth century. In size comparable to Indonesia's Krakatau in 1883 and Tambora in 1815, one must go back 2,000 years to the north island of New Zealand to find as large a release of rhyolite magma. The actual eruption took place about 100 miles west of Kodiak in the Aleutian Range on the Alaskan Peninsula. In three days, a new volcano—Novarupta—was born. More than five cubic miles of ash and debris flew into the atmosphere, with heavier deposits filling an adjacent forty-four-square-mile valley in depths up to 1,000 feet. The dense, superheated waves of magmatic spray incinerated all living organisms, leaving a hot bed of igneous material that, when mixed with water from the surrounding glaciers and snowfields, produced tens of thousands of steam vents known as fumaroles. Thus was born the Valley of 10,000 Smokes. Native villages, some thousands of years old, were abandoned and never reestablished. The eruption was of such consequence that the National Geographic Society sent Robert F. Griggs to direct a four-year expedition to the site. Griggs and his party recorded their scientific expedition in stunning black-and-white photographs and moving text, which led to the publication of a 50-page article in National Geographic Magazine in 1918 and a subsequent book issued by the Society in 1922 that remains available today. Gary Freeburg has traveled to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes five times, from 2000 to 2011, in pursuit of rephotography of the contemporary landscape and the larger experience of wilderness. Although the fumaroles that Griggs so vividly portrays in words and pictures are largely gone, and that element of visual and volcanic activity has largely ceased, in Freeburg's photographs one can still feel the steam-filled air, sense the deafening noise of the eruption, and grasp the incredible physical forces that created this alluring landscape. Now preserved as part of the 4.7-million-acre Katmai National Park and Preserve, the Valley of 10,000 Smokes continues to inspire—not just esteemed volcanologists such as John Eichelberger and expert cultural anthropologists such as Jeanne Schaaf, but great artists such as Gary Freeburg who seek out the Alaskan sublime, as it is revealed in one of Earth's most remote, raw, and wild places. (See the publisher's website for further information on exhibits, book signings, and to view a slide show: http://gftbooks.com/books_Freeburg.html ).

Read more less